Jury duty and Citizenship

[Sand 5]

Hi Guys.

I got a question regarding <Jury duty> i am a green card holder, and before i got my GC i received a letter from jury duty telling me that i have to go to the Curt for jury duty and for sure i dont know at that time what is jury duty and i did went there. and for sure i stayed there no body called me so i had to leave, and the Second time i recieved another jury duty Letter telling me i have to go to the Curt for jury duty so i did, and on that time i was GC holder, and then finally some body there told me if u not American Citizen u dont have to be here, so i dont know that anyways .... my question is .. by going to jury duty is that counting as Voting things ??? i mean Voting in a federal/local election ???? i just remembered this i am getting worried now. because when i went to the curt i think i have had to sign my name there ???

would u explain to me if this counting as voting or not ... because i am filing for my citizenship so i dont want them to say u voted before ... see what i mean

sorry but newbie in this case...

Thanks alot.

[Bernie C 24]

Hi Guys.

I got a question regarding <Jury duty> i am a green card holder, and before i got my GC i received a letter from jury duty telling me that i have to go to the Curt for jury duty and for sure i dont know at that time what is jury duty and i did went there. and for sure i stayed there no body called me so i had to leave, and the Second time i recieved another jury duty Letter telling me i have to go to the Curt for jury duty so i did, and on that time i was GC holder, and then finally some body there told me if u not American Citizen u dont have to be here, so i dont know that anyways .... my question is .. by going to jury duty is that counting as Voting things ??? i mean Voting in a federal/local election ???? i just remembered this i am getting worried now. because when i went to the curt i think i have had to sign my name there ???

would u explain to me if this counting as voting or not ... because i am filing for my citizenship so i dont want them to say u voted before ... see what i mean

sorry but newbie in this case...

Thanks alot.

I dont think you have anything to be worried about. Do you have a drivers liscence? In (my state) Pennsylvania I believe Jury Duty participants are selected by using drivers liscence numbers (used to be different). Jury Duty is considered a duty of every American Citizen if selected to participate and provide an unbiased decision based on the facts presented by the prosecution and the defense in regards to a legal proceeding. It may be related to a number of legal charges. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH VOTING! You should contact someone to have your name removed if you are not a citizen. Not sure who - maybe someone more familiar with the process can advise on that.

[NickD 202]

All you had to do was to call your clerk of court and inform him/her that you are not a USC.

[Craneman 2]

My wife also got a Jury duty notice, they entered her in the pool when she got her state ID.

Must be citizen to be on a Jury, contacted the court house and explined her status, no problem.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

If you did not serve as a juror, you are in the clear; had you served, you would be in big trouble now and -- IMHO -- should not even apply for citizenship due to the inherent dangers of misrepresentation as a US citizen.

So if they sent you home both times, you got lucky. Happy New Year!

Edited January 4, 2010 by Just Bob

[NycBra 4]

If you did not serve as a juror, you are in the clear; had you served, you would be in big trouble now and -- IMHO -- should not even apply for citizenship due to the inherent dangers of misrepresentation as a US citizen.

So if they sent you home both times, you got lucky. Happy New Year!

I think JustBob is being a little too harsh here. If he had participated as a juror, he should still apply for citizenship if he is eligible. He did not have to know that he shouldn't be at a jury duty. Mistake was made by the failed system that sent him (and myself once) a jury duty notification. Mistake would be much worse if the system had called his name and allowed him to be at a jury duty.

Sand, you should not worry about it. The fact you went there does not interfere with infringing voting rights. If you happen to receive another notification for jury duty, you can send it back with a copy of your green card and tell them you are not a US citizen. It worked for me and I never got another jury duty notification again. Good luck.

[Sand 5]

Thank you so much Guys. Yes i never served there as a Juror, all what i heard when i recieved the first letter that i have to be there otherwise i will be in truble if i dont go. so i listened and i went. i just sat there and no body called my name so i had to leave, the second time. i went there but i wrote down that i am not a U.S citizen yet, not far some body called my name and said if i am not a U.S Citizen then i dont have to be there. so i left too. and the lady told me when i receive letter next time for a Jury Duty all what i need to write down that i am not a U.S Citizen and send it back .. sl this all my story, but the thing is u know, i dont want to get any Mistake when i apply for my citizenship, i dont want to be Questioned that why i went to Jury Duty..

Edited January 4, 2010 by Sand

[Lansbury 19]

I think JustBob is being a little too harsh here. If he had participated as a juror, he should still apply for citizenship if he is eligible. He did not have to know that he shouldn't be at a jury duty. Mistake was made by the failed system that sent him (and myself once) a jury duty notification. Mistake would be much worse if the system had called his name and allowed him to be at a jury duty.

I think JustBob is spot on. It is up to the individual to know if they can serve on a jury as a US citizen or not. The requirements for jury service are publicly available. People have mistakenly registered to vote because they did not know that argument didn't wash either.

I disagree with JustBob on one point. By attending for jury service whether he was on an actual jury or not he has implied to the Court he is a US citizen. That could have been a big problem if he hadn't mention then he wasn't a citizen.

Edited January 4, 2010 by Lansbury

[Sand 5]

So, I will have no problem applying for my Citizenship am i Correct?

[Lansbury 19]

So, I will have no problem applying for my Citizenship am i Correct?

The jury duty wouldn't cause a problem as you correctly informed them you were not a citizen. In your case you did this in person by attending the court, I did it by sending the card back, on 2 separate occasions. I am a citizen now no problems, the jury summons doesn't need to be mentioned at all anywhere it is irrelevant to your application. Good luck.

[Sand 5]

Thank you so much,

[SuperDuper! 230]

I dont think you have anything to be worried about. Do you have a drivers liscence? In (my state) Pennsylvania I believe Jury Duty participants are selected by using drivers liscence numbers (used to be different). Jury Duty is considered a duty of every American Citizen if selected to participate and provide an unbiased decision based on the facts presented by the prosecution and the defense in regards to a legal proceeding. It may be related to a number of legal charges. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH VOTING! You should contact someone to have your name removed if you are not a citizen. Not sure who - maybe someone more familiar with the process can advise on that.

Yes, it does. Counties cross check DMV and Voter Registration data bases. If you are in both of these data bases, your chance of being dinged for jury duty dramatically increases.

[antda 13]

Hi Sand,

You did the right thing here, by telling them that you are a green card holder instead of a US Citizen. You cannot be on a jury if you are not a US Citizen, nor can you vote if you are not a US Citizen.

You did the right thing too, by responding to such accordingly in-person as to what is being said on the jury duty letter, as you legally have to reply to such, regardless. So in that sense, you did obey the law there, as failure to respond to jury duty notices can be of serious consequences there. Frankly, they shouldn't have put you on the list, so it is their fault there, not yours, for having such a notice. Thank goodness, that someone there told you the right information and then sent you home, as you wouldn't have known otherwise. Still, they shouldn't have wasted your time like this...Again their fault there for you being on the list, even though you are not a US Citizen...

It won't count against you, as you did not actually serve on the jury. All you did was respond to the jury duty letter, as you were legally obligated to do such. It does not count against you when you file for citizenship, so no worries there, especially when you specifically told them that you were a premanent resident and not a US Citizen. Though if it does come up in your citizenship interview (which I doubt that it will, but be prepared just in case), just tell the immigration officer that you only responded to the letter and told them that you were a greem card holder, as you didn't know what else to do, and you did not actually serve on the jury or claim US Citizenship in any way.

Hope this helps. Good luck on your journey too.

Ant

P.S. Lol..This reminds me of a funny story....I got a jury duty notice/summons recently actually, right before I was about to file for US Citizenship...But it was for Canadian jury duty....And if I didn't respond to it, I was going to face serious legal consequences....No joke there! So I just sent them back their response, a letter, explaining my situation, as to why I could not currently serve on a jury there since I'm currently in the USA and can't travel back to Canada for jury duty. Lol..I haven't heard back from them since..I guess they were happy with my explaination..lol...

But yeah, that's the drawbacks of having dual citizenship..Having to serve on jury duty for both countries..(lol...wonders when I will get my American jury duty notice, now that I have my US Citizenship..lol..)

Hi Guys.

I got a question regarding <Jury duty> i am a green card holder, and before i got my GC i received a letter from jury duty telling me that i have to go to the Curt for jury duty and for sure i dont know at that time what is jury duty and i did went there. and for sure i stayed there no body called me so i had to leave, and the Second time i recieved another jury duty Letter telling me i have to go to the Curt for jury duty so i did, and on that time i was GC holder, and then finally some body there told me if u not American Citizen u dont have to be here, so i dont know that anyways .... my question is .. by going to jury duty is that counting as Voting things ??? i mean Voting in a federal/local election ???? i just remembered this i am getting worried now. because when i went to the curt i think i have had to sign my name there ???

would u explain to me if this counting as voting or not ... because i am filing for my citizenship so i dont want them to say u voted before ... see what i mean

sorry but newbie in this case...

Thanks alot.

[Sand 5]

Hi Sand,

You did the right thing here, by telling them that you are a green card holder instead of a US Citizen. You cannot be on a jury if you are not a US Citizen, nor can you vote if you are not a US Citizen.

You did the right thing too, by responding to such accordingly in-person as to what is being said on the jury duty letter, as you legally have to reply to such, regardless. So in that sense, you did obey the law there, as failure to respond to jury duty notices can be of serious consequences there. Frankly, they shouldn't have put you on the list, so it is their fault there, not yours, for having such a notice. Thank goodness, that someone there told you the right information and then sent you home, as you wouldn't have known otherwise. Still, they shouldn't have wasted your time like this...Again their fault there for you being on the list, even though you are not a US Citizen...

It won't count against you, as you did not actually serve on the jury. All you did was respond to the jury duty letter, as you were legally obligated to do such. It does not count against you when you file for citizenship, so no worries there, especially when you specifically told them that you were a premanent resident and not a US Citizen. Though if it does come up in your citizenship interview (which I doubt that it will, but be prepared just in case), just tell the immigration officer that you only responded to the letter and told them that you were a greem card holder, as you didn't know what else to do, and you did not actually serve on the jury or claim US Citizenship in any way.

Hope this helps. Good luck on your journey too.

Ant

P.S. Lol..This reminds me of a funny story....I got a jury duty notice/summons recently actually, right before I was about to file for US Citizenship...But it was for Canadian jury duty....And if I didn't respond to it, I was going to face serious legal consequences....No joke there! So I just sent them back their response, a letter, explaining my situation, as to why I could not currently serve on a jury there since I'm currently in the USA and can't travel back to Canada for jury duty. Lol..I haven't heard back from them since..I guess they were happy with my explaination..lol...

But yeah, that's the drawbacks of having dual citizenship..Having to serve on jury duty for both countries..(lol...wonders when I will get my American jury duty notice, now that I have my US Citizenship..lol..)

Thank you so much 'Ant+D+BabyA' and ALL..

but the thing makes me worried that when i went first time. to Jury Duty i went with my Spouse and both of us received the same letter so. when i went there i was new on this things i dont know whats going on. so i did like what my Spouse did, i even dont speak english good at that time. so the thing worries me that when my Spouse Checking the Boxs there, for sure my Spouse checked U.S Citizen so i guess i checked that box, but i am not sure now. what is the right way to figure if i checked that Box or not. ?? and can i remove my Record???

Thanks alot

[antda 13]

Hi Sand,

No problem...Glad to be able to help...

Hmm...Now that's a tough one...That you checked off the "US Citzen" box, even though you were not a US Citizen at the time...

As by checking off that box, you might be "misrepresenting" yourself as a US Citizen when you are not, which is illegal to do....

When you went for jury duty, did you ever show any court officials your green card?

Did you formally inform the court that you were a permanent resident and not a citizen?

In this case, I think it was just an honest mistake on your end, not your fault there.

If I were you, what I would do, is to contact the court directly.

Explain the situation, like you did here, and say that you need to know for sure what they have on record, as you are applying for US Citizenship and that what they have on record can have a negative effect on things.

If the case is that you are not listed a us citzen, then you are ok there.

Buf it the case is that you are listed a us citizen, then explain to them in writing as to why you want this removed from your record, and that what you did before was an honest mistake. Provide them proof of your green card/permanent residency status too, and tell them that you do not want to be on a jury or vote, when you are unable to do so.

And yes, when asked by an immigration officer, just tell the truth, and you should be ok there.

Hope this helps too. Good luck on your journey.

Ant

Thank you so much 'Ant+D+BabyA' and ALL..

but the thing makes me worried that when i went first time. to Jury Duty i went with my Spouse and both of us received the same letter so. when i went there i was new on this things i dont know whats going on. so i did like what my Spouse did, i even dont speak english good at that time. so the thing worries me that when my Spouse Checking the Boxs there, for sure my Spouse checked U.S Citizen so i guess i checked that box, but i am not sure now. what is the right way to figure if i checked that Box or not. ?? and can i remove my Record???

Thanks alot